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Disclaimer: If you enjoyed this book, that's fine. I respect your opinion, I'm just sharing my opinion on the novel. And there are some spoilers in this review. I put a 🔮 emoji in front of them. Also, there is some cursing because I was very mad in this rant.

*turns on for some composure*
*inhales deeply*
Lord give me strength for this one 'cause it's going to be a doozy.

So look, I was in a reading slump. I barely checked goodreads and I didn't even touch the books I have borrowed. And I decided, "Let me find a shitty book to get me back into the swing of things". Now don't ask me why I made this decision because I don't know why and I wish I never read this.

There are just so many problems with "Sin Bin" ; the lack of a plot, the annoying and cringy writing, and the frustrating characters. I refuse to believe this book was actually 831 pages. I can't believe I made myself read 831 pages of hot mess express.

Let's start with the lack of plot. There was no plot to be seen in this book. This novel was just a book about a "troubled" boy who met this girl Meadow during foster care and they have this "deep connection". And can you believe that after 15 years of missing each other, they automatically recognize each other? It's crazy. And then, through 2 months of sexcapades, arguments, and stupid shit, they stay together in the end. But don't forget, they have a ~traumatic~ past, so Maureen Smith uses that as a plot device to push the story forward.

This got on my nerves. Instead of dealing with their problems, they get sad and make bad decisions, and then they get back together and fuck. Every. Single. Time. How many times do I need to read about them "making love"? Clearly I need to read about this throughout the whole book as Smith showed me. This whole plot was fucked up, and I hate it.

And then the annoying and cringy writing. This was one of the main things that made "Sin Bin" unbearable. Everything Logan does is romanticized through the writing, and I couldn't stand it. Even when Logan was doing some messed up shit, it's excused because he had a ~traumatic~ past. And whenever Meadow realizes this, Smith always writes how "her heart ached for him" and "her heart swelled for him".

(Chapter 4)"The pain in his eyes, the raw hurt, made her heart ache for him"

(Chapter 13)"Her heart got all melty at his words"

These aren't the best examples, but trust and believe, these phrases are repeated in this novel so many times and it gets annoying. I don't know why, but when some dudes from the hockey team were showing their "appreciation" for Black women, it felt a little weird.

(Chapter 29) ""And I can say with absolute conviction that no one-- and I mean no one -- has sexier curves than a Black woman"

A hearty chorus of "Hell yeah" and "Amen" erupted around the table. When Viggo whimpered "Have mercy" and bit his knuckles, the group burst into uproarious laughter that shook the room"

I get that this is supposed to be "appreciation" for Black women, but it feels more like you appreciate our bodies more than our accomplishments. And not all of us have large curves. There are so many different body types Black women have. I just had to point this out because I didn't like this moment in the novel and it made me very uncomfortable.

And the characters, these freaking characters. I don't really have much to say about whom they actually are. I guess I'll just talk about my problems with them. The two main characters weren't very interesting at all, but their ~traumatic~ experiences are supposed to give them "depth" and "meaning".

🔮Some Spoiler Section🔮

But those experiences didn't do that at all. I didn't feel bad for Meadow or Logan for what they went through because I didn't care about them. Logan had these "moments" where he talks about his past and he gets all sad, then Meadow comforts him even after he fucks up "because of his past". Am I supposed to feel sorry for him? What does he want, a cookie? An award? *claps* He can get an award for his acting because he's such a great actor and had me fooled.

Meadow always falls for this fool's apologies every time, and I couldn't stand it. Even when he kissed his stepmother because he wanted REvEngE on his father, Meadow still went back to him. And guess what? Not even a week after they make up, they get engaged. yep, engaged. This is when I lost my shit and I was done with this book.

🔮Some Spoiler Section Over🔮

Other than Meadow and Logan, all the other characters were forgettable, except for this guy Ephraim. I wanted to beat his ass so bad because he has some "preference" for white women. And yet, he starts hitting on Meadow while also telling her why he doesn't "prefer" to date Black women.

(Chapter 47) "During our last conversation, I told you that I'm not normally attracted to Black women, and with good reason. Far too many of them are overweight and unladylike. I'm not fond of the unflattering weaves they wear, and their out-of-wedlock birth rates are a scourge on society. I cringe every time I see them stomping around with their bastard children fathered by ten different lowlifes. Their loud and uncouth, always making spectacles of themselves-"

See, I need this fool to shut the fuck up. All this character does is look at Black women as a stereotype instead of humans. I have a deep hatred for this character. But then I thought, why was he even in the book? To be problematic? I know that some people may think this way, but I hope Smith wasn't trying to "educate" them through this character. If they think of Black women that way, then fine. But you shouldn't have to take it upon yourself to "teach them" about the values of Black women. Oh my Bob, I just couldn't stand him or that part.

Overall, I did not enjoy "Sin Bin" at all. I didn't like most of the characters, and I plan the demise of one of them. There was no plot in this novel, and as a filler, Maureen Smith used the two main characters bad experiences to push the plot forward. And I never want to read this again because it makes me want to rip the coils off of my damn head.